Technical documentation starter workbook
Map system description, intended purpose, lifecycle records, risk controls, data evidence, testing, logs, and owners in one worksheet.
Download XLSX worksheet → Markdown companionTechnical documentation markdown outline
Use this plain-text outline when your team needs a copy-first evidence file before moving into formal documentation tooling.
Download Markdown →Who this starter is for
Use this starter if your organisation develops, substantially modifies, white-labels, rebrands, integrates, or commercialises an AI system that could fall into high-risk AI provider obligations. It is also useful for deployers checking whether their own modification path may create provider-style evidence needs.
When technical documentation becomes relevant
Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 requires technical documentation for high-risk AI systems to be drawn up before the system is placed on the market or put into service, and to include at least the elements set out in Annex IV. This starter is a first-pass evidence organiser, not a completed Annex IV file.
| Trigger | Practical meaning | Evidence to locate first |
|---|---|---|
| High-risk system path | Provider evidence should exist before release, market placement, or formal conformity review. | System description, intended purpose, risk classification, lifecycle records. |
| Substantial modification | Changes to model behaviour, intended purpose, data, or integration can reopen role and conformity questions. | Change records, impact analysis, before/after performance and risk notes. |
| Accidental-provider uncertainty | Fine-tuning, rebranding, white-labelling, or intended-purpose changes should be reviewed before relying on deployer-only assumptions. | Commercial role facts, contracts, labelling, modification records. |
| Conformity route preparation | Internal-control or notified-body review needs a coherent evidence file, not scattered project artifacts. | Risk management, test reports, instructions for use, post-market monitoring plan. |
What the starter asks you to collect
Product name, version, owner, provider/deployer role facts, intended purpose, users, affected persons, and deployment context.
Architecture, model components, data flows, development process, release controls, change records, and dependencies.
Training, validation, testing, input-data controls, performance metrics, bias checks, robustness checks, and test logs.
Risk management, human oversight, logging, cybersecurity, instructions for use, known limitations, and monitoring design.
Signal sources, issue thresholds, corrective-action logs, serious-incident escalation, and monitoring plan references.
Standards used, route assumptions, declaration records, notified-body questions, and unresolved review gaps.
What this starter does not cover
This starter does not replace a full Annex IV technical documentation file, product-safety documentation, a quality management system, harmonised standards analysis, notified-body review, or legal advice. Treat it as a structured intake layer that helps qualified reviewers see what exists and what is missing.
Related EU AI Compass tools
FAQ
Is this a complete Annex IV technical documentation file?
No. It is a structured starter for organising evidence. A complete file may require deeper design, risk, quality, testing, cybersecurity, user-instruction, standards, conformity, and sector review.
Can deployers use this?
Yes, but mainly as a triage tool. Deployers should use it when modification, rebranding, integration, or intended-purpose changes create provider-style questions requiring qualified review.
Does this create compliance by itself?
No. It helps structure the evidence conversation. It does not certify compliance, decide the conformity route, or replace legal or conformity-assessment advice.
Source and review note
This page is educational and should be reviewed against Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, European Commission materials, national authority guidance, sector rules, and qualified legal or conformity-assessment advice where relevant. It does not confirm legal compliance and is not legal advice.